Automatic toy machine gun



Nov. 15, 1955 H. c. DOUGLAS 2,

AUTOMATIC TOY MACHINE GUN I Filed Feb. 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. Homar 6'. flag/a5 Nov. 15, 1955 H. c. DOUGLAS 2,723,478

AUTOMATIC TOY MACHINE GUN Filed Feb. 10, 1 2? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IZ F Z'Ow/w Q5 I a. L immmm 11v VEN TOR.

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Uni ed States Patent() AUTOMATIC TOY MACHINE GUN Homer C. Douglas,Kansas City, Kans., assignor to T. R. Chamberlain, Kansas City, Kans.

Application February 10, 1951, Serial No. 210,406

Claims. (Cl. 42-57) assembly forming a part of the gun that includes a1.

member swingable with respect to the shaft for rotating the same intoand out of engagement with a friction plate whereby to retard rotationof the shaft and actuate the firing hammer that is disposed in the pathof travel of the swingable governor member.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a toymachine gun that includes structure adapted both for feeding a cap tapeand for actuating the firing hammer of the gun upon release of thestructure through trigger mechanism, the aforesaid governor in-,

cluding a rotatable device having a swingable part that moves away fromits mounting shaft by centrifugal force.

It is an important object of this inventionto provide in a toy machinegun, a combination governor and actuating means for the firing hammerthereof that includes an arcuate friction plate, together with a memberthat is mounted for rotation within the confines of the friction plateand swingable thereagainst through centrifugal force to retard or brakethe rotation thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide an actuating lug forthe firing hammer on the swingable memher just mentioned thatautomatically moves into engagement with a part of the hammer withoutthe confines of the friction plate to successivelyactuate the hammeronce for each revolution of the governor.

It is a still further important object of the present invention toprovide a combination governor and hammer actuator of the abovementioned character formed and disposed to assume a resting position atthe end of each operation and upon release of the trigger of the gun,which will assure immediate operation to fire the caps upon pulling ofthe trigger in one direction in timed sequence and Without omitting anyof the caps of the tape.

Other equally important objects include many novel details ofconstruction, all of which will be made clear or become apparent as thefollowing specification progresses, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an automatic toy Patented Nov.15, 1955 Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on irregular line IV-IVof Fig. 6.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VV of Fig.6.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view showing thedrum magazine with its cover removed.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on irregular lineVIII-VIII of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, parts being broken awayand in section to illustrate the trigger mechanism of the gun.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating thecombination governor and hammer actuating assembly intermediate the endsof its path of travel; and

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figs. 3 and 10 showing thehammer actuating portion of the governor in a position ready to strike apart of the firing hammer.

While the automatic toy sub-machine gun illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings has been formed to simulate the well-known Thompson machinegun, it will hereinafter become clear that the broad principles of theinvention may well be incorporated within toy gun designs havingconfigurations differing from those shown in the drawings. In thepresent gun however, there is provided a stock 12 provided with adepending hand-grip 14tand a trigger 16 adjacent the hand-grip 14 andmounted for swinging movement through the medium of a pivot pin 18..

Trigger 16 is held biased at one end of its path of travel opposite thatillustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings by means of a spring 20 housedwithin a portion of the stock 12 above pivot point 18 and havingconnection at that end thereof opposite to trigger 16 by means of afastening element 22 (see Fig. l). A second hand-grip 24 is mounted on abarrel 26 intermediate the ends thereof which is in turn secureddirectly to an outermost plate 28 forming a part of a drum magazinebroadly designated by the numeral 30.

A second outermost plate 32 in opposed relationship to the plate 28 andalso forming a part of the magazine 30 rigidly receives the stock 12 andits associated parts. Plates 28 and 32 are preferably circular, as arethree discs 34, 36 and 38 disposed within the magazine 30 in parallelismwith the plates 28 and 32. All of the discs just mentioned, as well asthe end plates 28 and 38 are substantially fully enclosed by an annularWall 40, completing the magazine 30. Wall 40 has an annular flange 41against which plate 28 bears and an outlet opening 42 formed therein forreceiving discharged caps as will hereinafter be made more clear. Disc34 is spaced from the plate 28 to provide a chamber 44 for receiving anactuating spring 46 coiled about a center shaft 48 and having one endthereof secured to shaft 48 in any suitable manher as illustrated inFig. 7 of the drawings. The opposite,

outermost end 50 of the spring 46 is suitably secured to plate 28 anddisc 34. Discs 34 and 36 are in face-to-face engagement and a spacebetween discs 36 and 33 presents a second chamber 52 for receiving thegovernor-hammer actuating mechanism 53 illustrated most clearly in Figs.3, 10 and 11 and hereinafter more fully described. Disc 38 and plate 32are spaced to present a chamber 54 that receives a roll of caps 56, afiring hammer 58, a latch member 60 and other associated partsillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Obviously, suitable spacers areprovided within chambers 44, 52 and 54 and a small block 62 (Fig. 6)within chamber 54 and secured to disc 38, serves to mount a hinge 64 forswingably securing the plate 32 to the disc 38.

A spring latch 66 diametrically opposed to hinge 64,

releasably holds the stock 12 and the plate 32 against swinging movementaway from a position'where plate 32 is housed within annular wall 40.The shaft 48 that ra erse th ma azine 3. e atably moun e plate 28 anddiscs 34, 36 and 38 and an opening 68 (Fig. 7)., receives the proximalendof shaft .8 and permits the aforementioned swinging movement of plate32 toward and away from its normal position shown in Fig. 6 of e ra hePlate 28 an isc 34. a e jo ne f rotation as'a unit with barrel 26relative to stock 12, plate 32, discs 36 and 38 and wall 48, which arealso interconnected, Consequently, rotation of barrel 26 with respeet tostock 12 in one-direction, winds the spring 46 and counterrelativerotation is prevented by a springoaded .dog 6.? swingably mounted,within a cavity 69 in plate 36 and biased toward the disc 34. Disc 34has a cavity formed therein (not shown) presenting a shoulder forreceivingthe dog 67 A gear 70. mounted on shaft 4.8. for rotationtherewith anddisposed within the chamber 52. is constantly in mesh with,a small pinion 72. also disposed within chamber 52 and secured directlyto a stub shaft 74. rotatably carried bythe dise 38. Shaft 74. has, alateral extension 76 thereon at that end thereof opposite to the pinion72; and withinthe chamber 54.

The roll of caps 56 of conventional character in that thesame comprise atape of. successive explosive charges, is rotatably mounted on alaterally extending pin 78 on disc 38 within chamber 54, and the tape 56is threaded around a sprocket drum 80 secured to shaft 48 for rotationthereby within the chamber 54, tape 56 thence passing through theopening 42 in annular wall 40. After winding of the spring 46, shaft 48is held against rotationthere'oy through the medium of the latch 60engaging the projection 76. in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. Latch 60 is pivotally mounted to the disc 38 within chamber54. as at 82 and is substantially Z-shaped, presenting'a leg 84 on thatside of pivot 82 opposite to extension 76 that is engaged by theinnermost Hend of trigger 16 as shown in Fig.9 of the drawings when thelatter is swungon. pivot '18 against the action of spring .28 whereby tocause the latch 60 to, swing on pivot 82 out of the rotative path oftravel of extension 76.011 shaft 74. Latch 60 is yieldably biased tothat end of its path of travel shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings by aspring 86.

The hammer 58 is substantially U-shaped and has one of its legspivotally secured to the disc 38 by means of a pin 88 for swingingmovement toward and away from the drum 80. A spring 90 yieldably holdsthe hammer 58 biased away from the drum 80.

A slot 92 is formed in the disc 38 for receiving a laterally extendingpin 94 on that leg of hammer 58-opposite to pivot 88, which pin 94extends, into the chamber 52 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8 of thedrawings. A pair of spaced-apart guides 96and98 secured to the disc 33within the chamber 54 on opposite sides of the drum 80, serve todirectthe perforated tape 56 properly around the drum 88. tothe dischargeopening 42-. Guide 98 is provided with a lip 180 to receive the innerend of tape 56 as it leaves pin 78 and causing the tape 56. to properlyunroll because of its tendency to maintain the rolled condition shown inFig. 2 of the drawings.

A third guide plate 102 cooperates with the guide 96 in presenting atape-receiving channel 104. within the chamber 54 and registering withthe outlet 42. Tape 56 is guided to the passage 104 by plate 106 that ispivotally mounted as at 188 on the disc 38 and held biased toward drum88 by a spring 110-to hold the tape 56 on drum. 80. However, when theplate 166 is swung on pivot 108 against the action of spring 110,thereby presenting a space between plate106 and drum 80 as shown inFig.2, tape 56; may be easily threaded over drumfit}. V

The device .53 shown most clearly in Figs. 3 IO-and ll includes asegmental plate-like section or element 112 that 4 plate 38, all withinchamber 52. A second arcuate section or control'member 114 is pivotallysecured to the section 112 as at 116 for swinging movement with respectthereto on an axis that is parallel with the axis of rotation of shafts74 and 78 and with the axis 88 for swingably mounting the hammer 58. Itis noted that assembly 53 is disposed adjacent the pin 94 within chamber52 and a lug 118 extends from the section 114 radially with respect tothe shaft 74 for striking the pin 94 as the device 53 is rotated byshaft 74. Outward swinging movement of the section 114 on the pivot pin116 by centrifugal force, is limited throughout a substantial portion ofthe distance of rotation of lug 118 by an arcuate friction plate 120secured to the disc 38 in concentric relationship with the axis ofrotation of shaft 74. Notable in Figs. 3, 10 and ll is the way in whichfriction plate 120 is open at arcuate slot 92 in disc 38 and theprojecting pin 94 on the hammer 58.

When the gun is in the normal standstill position, the various partswithin the magazine 30 are arranged relatively as illustrated in Figs. 2and 3 of the drawings. In order to place energy in the spring 46 toimpart rotation to shaft 48 and accordingly to the shaft 74, the barrel26 is rotated relative to. the stock 12 and counter-rotation isprevented by the dog 67 and the corresponding receiving cavity therefor,formed in that face of disc 34 bearing against disc 36. Since latch 60normally is in a position for receiving the lateral extension 76 onshaft 74, no operation takes place until actuation of trigger 16. Whenthe latter is pulled to the position illustrated in Fig. 9 against theaction of spring 20, latch 60 will be caused to swing on its pivot 82 torelease the extension 76. Spring 46 thereupon operates to rotate theshaft 48 which also rotates drum and feeds the tape 56 from pin 78 intothe passageway 104. Rotation of shaft 48 also rotates the gear 70 andaccordingly, the pinion 72 and as long as the trigger 16 is helddepressed, the extension 76 will be free to rotate in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig, 2 of the drawings. Such continuedrotation of shaft 74 will cause the governor assembly 53 to likewiserotate in the direction shown in Figs. 3, l0 and 11. As the sections 112and 114 rotate within the confines of friction plate 120, centrifugalforce will cause the section 114 to swing outwardly away from the axisof roration of shaft 74 until the lug 118 comes into frictional contactwith the inner face of the plate 124). Such drag of'the lug 118 on plateretards the speed of rotation of the drum 80 and of the entire governorassembly 53. Figure 10 of the drawings illustrates the position of thelug 118 bearing against the plate 120 intermediate the ends of its pathof travel. As soon as the lug 118 reaches a position where section 114may swing outwardly without hindrance by plate 120, lug 118 will move toa position as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings where it will strike thepin 94. Thus, there is a momentary stoppage of rotation of the governor53 when the lug 118 strikes pin 94 and carries the same to one end ofthe slot 92.

' Such movement of pin 94 swings the hammer 58 with force against analigned cap ontape 56 whereupon firing takes place;

As soon as the lug 118 slips from the pin 94 under force of the spring46iwhi1e trigger 16 is held in the condition shown in Fig. 9 of thedrawings, lug 118 will again move into frictional engagement with theplate 120 and the hammer 58 will return to its normal position shown inFig. 2; under the influence of spring 90. By careful arrangement andchoice of size and configuration of extension 76, the lug 118 will.always come to rest substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, irrespective of its particular position at the time of releaseof trigger-16. Consequently, whenever the gun is placed in operationsuflicient force will be built up in the assembly 53 to actuate hammer58 on the first revolution of the lug 118, from the position shown inFig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 11, and all caps forming a part ofthe tape 56, will be fired.

area res Thus, in all respects the toy machine gun hereofhas been madefor rapid firing of successive caps that are readily available on theopen market and provision has been made for accurate timing, as well asto assure that each and every cap receives a blow from the hammer 58 ofsufficient force, to cause firing thereof if the cap is otherwisecapable of exploding under such force. Also, by virtue of the guidingmeans 96, 100,102 and 6,;the tape 56 will pass from the pin 78 to thedrum 80 and thence to outlet 42 by way of passage 104 without diflicutyfrom the strandpoint of jamming or piling up within the chamber 54. Eventhe curled end. of the tape56 moving from pin 78 will be caught by thelip 100 and unwound as drum 80 continues to operate, assuring firing ofevery cap of a roll 56 thereof.

Manifestly many details of construction coming within the spirit of thisinvention may be changed or modified to provide equivalents for thebroad concepts hereof and it is, therefore, desired to be limited onlyby the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing means, andstructure including a first rotatable shaft for driving said feedingmeans and a second rotatable shaft operably coupled with said firstshaft for driving said firing means to fire a succession of caps; agovernor for retarding the operation of said structure, said governorincluding a friction plate; a control member; and means attaching themember to said second shaft for rotation therewith, said member beingpivotally mounted for outward swinging movement away from said secondshaft and into frictional engagement with said plate in response tocentrifugal force as the second shaft and member rotate.

2. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing meansincluding a movable hammer, and structure including a first rotatableshaft for driving said feeding means and a second rotatable shaftoperably coupled with said first shaft for driving said firing means tofire a succession of caps; a governor for retarding the operation ofsaid structure, said governor including a friction plate; a controlmember; and means attaching the member to said second shaft for rotationtherewith, said member being pivotally mounted for outward swingingmovement away from said second shaft and into frictional engagement withsaid plate in response to centrifugal force as the second shaft andmember rotate, said hammer being within the path of travel of saidmember for movement thereby as the member rotates.

3. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing meansincluding a swingable hammer, and structure including a first rotatableshaft for driving said feeding means and a second rotatable shaftoperably coupled with said first shaft for driving said firing means tofire a succession of caps; a governor for retarding the operation ofsaid structure, said governor including a friction plate; a controlmember; and means attaching the member to said second shaft for rotationtherewith, said member being pivotally mounted for outward swingingmovement away from said second shaft and into frictional engagement withsaid plate in response to centrifugal force as the second shaft andmember rotate, said member having a lug thereon, there being a pin onthe hammer within the path of travel of said lug whereby swingingmovement is imparted to the hammer by said member.

4. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing meansincluding a swingable, spring-loaded hammer, and structure including afirst rotatable shaft for driving said feeding means and a secondrotatable shaft operably coupled with said first shaft for driving saidfiring means to fire a succession of caps; a governor for retarding theoperation of said structure, said governor including a friction plate; acontrol member; and means attaching the member to said second shaft forrotation therewith, said member being pivotally mounted for outwardswinging movement away from said second shaft and into frictionalengagement with said plate in response to centrifugal force as thesecond shaft and member rotate, said member having a lug thereon, therebeing-a pin on thehammer withinthe path of' travel of said lug wherebyswinging movement is imparted to the hammer in one direction against theaction of its spring during each revolution of the member.

5. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing meansincluding a swingable hammer, and structure including afirst rotatableshaft for driving said feeding means and a second rotatable shaftoperably coupled with said first shaft for driving said firing. means tofire a succession of caps; a governor for retarding. the operation ofsaid structure, said governor including a friction plate; a controlmember; and means attaching the member to said second shaft for rotationtherewith, said memher being pivotally mounted for outward swingingmovement away from said second shaft and into frictional engagement withsaid plate in response to centrifugal force as the second shaft andmember rotate, said member having a lug thereon, there being a pin onthe hammer within the path of travel of said lug whereby swingingmovement is impaited to the hammer by said member, said pin being inspaced parallelism with the second shaft, said lug being radiallydisposed relative to the second shaft.

6. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing meansincluding a swingable hammer, and structure including a first rotatableshaft for driving said feeding means and a second rotatable shaftoperably coupled with said first shaft for driving said firing means tofire a succession of caps; a governor for retarding the operation ofsaid structure, said governor including a friction plate; a controlmember; and means attaching the member to said second shaft for rotationtherewith, said member being pivotally mounted for outward swingingmovement away from said second shaft and into frictional engagement withsaid plate in response to centrifugal force as the second shaft andmember rotate, said member having a lug thereon, there being a pin onthe hammer within the path of travel of said lug whereby swingingmovement is imparted to the hammer by said member, said friction platebeing arcuate and concentric with said second shaft, presenting anopening clearing the member for free outward swinging movement away fromthe second shaft, said pin being within said opening.

7. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means, cap firing meansincluding a swingable, spring-loaded hammer, and structure for drivingsaid feeding means and said firing means to fire a succession of caps,said structure including a shaft rotatable on an axis in spacedparallelism to the swinging axis of the hammer and coupled with thecap-firing means; a governor for retarding the operation of saidstructure, said governor including a friction plate; a control member;and means attaching the member to said shaft for rotation therewith,said member being pivotally mounted for outward swinging movement awayfrom said shaft and into frictional engagement with said plate inresponse to centrifugal force as the shaft and member rotate, saidmember having a lug thereon, there being a pin on the hammer within thepath of travel of said lug whereby swinging movement is imparted to thehammer in one direction against the action of its spring during eachrevolution of the member, said pin being in spaced parallelism with theshaft, said lug being radially disposed relative to the shaft.

8. In a toy cap gun having cap tape-feeding means and cap firing meansincluding a movable hammer, structure for driving said feeding means andsaid firing means to fire a sucession of caps, said structure includinga first rotatable shaft coupled with said feeding means; a secondrotatable shaft coupled with said firing means; a control member; andmeans attaching the member to said second shaft for rotation therewith,said member being pivotally mounted for outward swinging movement awayfrom said second shaft, said hammer being within the path of travel ofsaid member for movement thereby as the member rotates.

9. A toy machine gun comprising a cap tape feeder; a movable cap-firinghammer; and means for moving said hammer including an element rotatablethroughout a complete revolution and having a control member swingablymounted thereon and rotatable therewith throughout said completerevolution, said hammer being within the path of travel of said memberas the element rotates, whereby the hammer is struck and therebyactuated once during each cycle of revolution of the element.

10. A toy machine gun as set forth in claim 9 wherein is provided meanswithin the path of travel of said member and disposed for frictionalengagement thereby for retarding the speed of rotation of said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,419,646 Savage June 13, 1922 1,735,698 Schrader Nov. 12, 19291,872,093 Peake Aug. 16, 1932 2,098,006 Kilgore Nov. 2, 1937 2,457,921Riederich Ian. 4, 1949 2,507,805 Milne May 16, 1950 2,569,913 AndersonOct. 2, 1951

